Nydia Velázquez

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, earlier today I was unavoidably detained and missed rollcall votes 863 and 864. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on both rollcall votes. I would ask unanimous consent that these votes be placed in the appropriate place in the permanent Record.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, last time the Republicans shut down the Government because the Speaker was unhappy with his seat on Air Force One. Now, the Republicans have shut down the Government because the President will not accept a budget agreement that would devastate health care for the elderly and the poor while giving a huge tax break to the rich. The Republicans are holding the Government hostage in order to force their budget priorities on this country. When are Republicans going to realize that the majority of Americans reject their mean-spirited budget proposal? A balanced budget should not come at the expense of the elderly. Let's balance the budget by giving less for defense and ending sweetheart deals to special interest groups. Mr. Speaker, I urge you to honor the commitment you made last month with the President and give us a responsible balanced budget that protects children and education and stop this mean-spirited attack on seniors.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, due to the death of a close personal friend, I was absent during the following rollcall votes. Had I been present I would have voted as follows: On 847 ``yea'', 846 ``nay'', 845 ``yea'', 857 ``nay'', 856 ``nay'', 855 ``yea'', 854 ``nay'', 853 ``yea'', 852 ``nay'', 851 ``nay'', 850 ``nay'', and 849 ``nay''. I would ask unanimous consent that these votes be placed in the appropriate place in the permanent Record.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my opposition to this conference report and to voice my outrage over the mindless assault that is being launched against the Legal Services Corporation. The Republican proposal guts Legal Services. Funds will be lost by 31 percent and LSC attorneys handcuffed. This action will deny the poor access to justice, a right guaranteed under our great Constitution. Many of our colleagues argue we cannot afford programs like the Legal Services Corporation in this time of fiscal constraints. I challenge them, how can we not? My colleagues, the poor should not be the ones that pay the price for balancing the budget. But that is exactly what will happen if the Legal Services Corporation is so drastically cut. I urge you to support the efforts of LSC. Our democracy succeeds only when all of our citizens have full access to our legal system.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, in light of NAFTA's second anniversary a few weeks ago, we must take a long, hard look at the empty promises that were made and NAFTA's shameful reality. We promised American workers that NAFTA would create jobs. Corporations descended on Congress promising 200,000 new jobs. The shameful truth is 250,000 were lost. Mexican workers heard empty promises, too. They were assured higher wages and better working conditions. I witnessed NAFTA's reality first hand at Mexican maquiladoras. Some of the businesses that came to Congress making promises have left the United States and found their way to Mexico. They exploit cheap labor and Mexican workers still suffer. We listened to promises that NAFTA would increase exports, balance trade, and even create a trade surplus. The reality is United States exports are down while Mexican exports soar. This year alone we face a projected $40 billion trade deficit. [[Page H 14027]] Mr. Speaker, these broken promises mean one thing. The time has come to fix this bad deal. I urge my colleagues to support the NAFTA Accountability Act and cut America's losses before it is too late.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, last week, when we were all giving thanks, 6-year-old Elisa Izquierdo was beaten to death. Her death has been added to the brutal slaying of Debra Evans as the latest ploy for attacking assistance to the needy. This type of outrageous opportunism that takes tragedies and twists them for political gain is shameful and immoral. Many have claimed that the welfare system is to blame for these deaths. Instead of getting to the heart of the problem we have engaged in mindless fingerpointing that blames adversity on the system. This rhetoric of blaming the victim and the poor must stop. Death's like these have occurred because of the systematic destruction of America's social safety net. We must invest in our fellow human beings instead of turning our backs on them. If we fail to do this, there will be thousands more like Elisa and Debra. It should not take these heinous crimes to serve as a wakeup call that we must change our course. Stop making excuses and start funding change.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, today I will introduce the Health Equity Act legislation that will address the problem of environmental discrimination. Mr. Speaker, there is a growing recognition that people in poor and working class communities, and particularly people of color, are forced to live and work in areas contaminated by opportunistic polluters that target these communities. Whether it is in the form of incinerators, industrial production facilities, pesticides, or radiation--exposure to such contamination represents a death sentence for black and Latino Americans throughout this country. My legislation, which applies title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act to the Federal environmental regulatory process, will allow minority communities to halt potentially dangerous action, before harm comes to them. Our society has slowly taken steps to end the burden of discrimination in areas ranging from employment to housing. This will give communities of color a chance to fight against this form of discrimination. I would encourage my colleagues to cosponsor this legislation and help end one of the most neglected forms of discrimination in America.

Mr. VELAZQUEZ

Mr. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this draconian conference report. This conference report is nothing more than a cruel attack on our children, the elderly and the poor. These cuts are not about arbitrary numbers of the elimination of port barrel projects. They are about human beings. Behind every dollar of this reduction, there is human tragedy. Mr. Speaker, by gutting the McKinney program, hundreds of thousands of Americans will be forced to live in the streets. As we begin the coming winter months, the action taken on the floor today will constitute a death sentence for many. These cuts mean less security services and the elimination of critical social services. For the 500,000 public housing residents in the New York City area, this reduction translates into deteriorating buildings, greater insecurity and fewer opportunities for economic advancement. This is shameful. It is not enough that Republicans have slashed education, cut Medicare, and eliminated job training programs. Now they are planning to throw poor people out on the street. Enough is enough.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank you for your willingness to work with Ms. Molinari, Mr. Towns, and myself on the crisis surrounding the Gowanus Expressway. This legislation will begin to address the devastating effects that this project will have on the community. While the proposed reconstruction of the Gowanus Expressway is one of the costliest highway projects in the State's history and will profoundly shape both west Brooklyn and regional transportation for decades to come, its planning and environmental review to date have been inadequate. The bill encourages the State to take a comprehensive new look at the project. This guarantees that the total cost and benefits of both the State's plan and other proposals effecting the surrounding communities and the region as a whole will be examined. The provisions require that the State of New York mitigate the economic and social impacts this project will have on the neighboring communities. Congress has clarified this with accompanying report language that instructs the State to minimize long-term impairment of local businesses, appoint a community engineer, and undertake traffic calming studies. As the State moves forward with reconstruction of the Gowanus Expressway, it must hold to a minimum the harmful effects to businesses, housing, quality of life, and maintain the citizens' ability of movement with their communities. I am especially concerned that steps are taken to protect the welfare of children, the aged and others vulnerable to the effects of heavy traffic, air, and noise pollution. While there is still much that must be done before the Gowanus Expressway rehabilitation adequately protects the community, adopting this language is the first stop in insuring that this project is completed in an efficient manner, and with the safety and best interest of the surrounding community in mind.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this mean- spirited Republican budget. Mr. Speaker, what we have before us today is the naked shift of wealth at its very worst. We are robbing working class Americans to pay for tax breaks for the wealthy. Yes, $245 billion for the wealthiest families in this country. While the Republicans are lecturing us on welfare reform, they are destroying programs like the earned income tax credit, the low income housing tax credit, education, job training, programs that help get people off welfare. Today's vote marks the end of an era. Gone will be the world in which mothers and fathers hoped and dreamed that their children's lives would be better than their own. Today with this vote that dream will cease to exist. I urge a vote against this attack on working men and women.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the Republican budget proposal. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the current Republican budget proposal and urge a vote against this attack on working men and women. My colleagues, what we have before us today is the naked shift of wealth at its very worst. We are robbing working class Americans to pay for tax breaks for the wealthy. In the past we have talked about changing spending priorities and investing in working America. This legislation is nothing more than a debate on de-investing in working America. In today's society when the top 4 percent of the population's total earnings already exceed that of 50 million working class Americans-- something is very wrong. Where is the fairness in giving more to those who already have so much, while taking so many desperately needed programs from those that have so little. With reductions ranging from the earned-income tax credit, and the low-income housing tax credit, to cutting support for education, job training, and infrastructure, this budget finishes the Republicans' goal of removing society's safety net, and ending many working American's dream of a better life. In the future we will still see groups of very prosperous people. But they will be flanked by larger groups of working poor. Sandwiched in between will be an unstable middle class, struggling just to hang on. This new polarized society will make America look more like a third world country than a world leader. Today's vote marks the end of an era. Gone will be the world in which mothers and fathers hoped and dreamed that their children's lives would be better than their own. Today with this vote that dream will cease to exist. My colleagues, before you vote ask yourself--is balancing the budget on some arbitrary date, worth the price of our children's future? I think not.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to St. Michael's Church as it celebrates its 125th anniversary. Throughout its existence, St. Michael's Church has continuously demonstrated its commitment to its parishioners and its surrounding community. Under the stewardship of Father Michael Brennan and the distinguished leaders before him, the church has not only been a place of worship, but it has also been a place of comfort for the weary, a place of guidance for the lost, and a place of hope for those who despair. In essence, St. Michael's has been a center of inspiration for our community. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I salute St. Michael's Church and Father Brennan on this momentous 125th anniversary and offer them my best wishes for the future.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to take strong exception to the right wing attack on Medicare. The drastic and mean spirited cuts Republicans propose will devastate the health care system and severely jeopardize access to health care for the elderly in my district and around the Nation. Lets be clear about what is going on here. Republicans want to cut Medicare not to save the trust fund but to finance back door deals with wealthy doctors, special interest groups and rich corporations. The issue of whether we should slash Medicare is simply a question of values. Are we going to bankrupt the elderly? Are we going to kick seniors out of nursing homes in order to finance a tax break for the rich? I believe that to do so would be immoral, unfair, and just plain cruel. Mr. Speaker, here is a letter that a Republican constituent wrote to me. She said: Cuts in Medicare will be devastating and these cuts are unacceptable. We the people, put the Republicans where they are today and we will be sure to take them out if we are not represented. I include the entire letter for the Record. October 17, 1995. Re Republican Medicare Bill. Dear Congressman: I cannot even begin to put into words the seriousness of the repercussions of this proposal. The effect of this bill will be devastating to my local hospital and nursing home. The projected loss of future revenues for my local facility and nursing home seems incomprehensible to me: $14.2 million over 7 years! In addition, the projected loss of jobs in this area being at 3,500 is not tolerable. This program will shift enormous funding to me a property owner in Wyoming County because the hospital is county-owned. The tax burden will increase an estimated 28 percent. This is not acceptable. This legislation threatens the survival of my hospital and the future jobs of my neighbors. I understand the Speaker of the House needs to retain his parties support but we, the people, put the Republicans where they are today and will be sure to take them out if we, the voters, are not represented. Cynthia Tinker, Warsaw, NY.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, let me tell you how Republicans write Medicare legislation. When wealthy doctors are dissatisfied with how the Medicare bill will affect them--they negotiate a back door deal with Republicans and suddenly--they get a deal worth millions and do not have to share the burden of the $270 billion cut with seniors. When HMO's want to make more money--they make a back door deal with Republicans and suddenly Medicare legislation includes provisions that will force thousands of seniors into managed care plans. Yet, when seniors wanted to come out in the open to discuss their concerns about Medicare--they got no back door deals, they got arrested. Mr. Speaker, this is no way to write policies. Medicare reform should help people get better--not worse.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to announce the introduction of legislation that is long overdue. The School Based Health Clinic Act ensures that every child shall have access to high quality health care services. I trust that this body will act to ensure prompt passage of this critical bill. Tragically, over 12 million children, and almost half of all elementary school students, lack access to basic preventative health care such as immunizations and physical exams. The barriers that may stand in their way are inadequate or no health insurance, few available caregivers, and lack of convenient transportation. This dilemma has caused many communities to establish school based health clinics. These clinics have proven to be very successful in their mission--bringing comprehensive health care to children in need. Unfortunately, many centers cannot get the funding that they desperately need to continue operating. The School Based Health Center Act will provide seed money for expanding these centers to new communities. My bill will increase access to health services for school kids by requiring that HMO's and other managed care plans provide assistance to school based health centers. Mr. Speaker, our children are in dire need of health care services. Far too many children are not immunized, they do not receive dental care, and only get to see a doctor in the emergency room. We now have a unique opportunity to make a positive impact on the health and well being of our Nation's most needy children. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in sponsoring this historic piece of legislation, and bring comprehensive health care to children in dire need of care.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, the Republicans' plan to hold just 1 day of hearings on Medicare is an attack on democracy. I ask where are our priorities? We had 10 days of hearings on Waco and 11 days of hearings on Ruby Ridge so far. Even more alarming, we held over a month of hearings on Whitewater, an issue that most Americans don't care about. Yet, we had only 1 day of hearings for Medicare. Americans are scared about cuts in Medicare, scared about their future. There should be more than 1 day of hearings on an issue that will affect 37 million seniors. Lets come clean and let Americans know that the real reason Republicans are cutting Medicare by $270 billion is to fund corporate welfare, defense spending, and tax cuts to the rich--all at the expense of the health and well being of senior citizens.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the rule and the bill. The most important reason workers organize or join a union at their workplace is so that they have some collective clout. Every employee knows that without a union, the employer makes all the rules--pay, hours, overtime, working conditions. The employer owns the job and workers can be fired without cause. Only the legal protection of the National Labor Relations Act and its 8(a)(2) provision, ensures that people have the right to elect representatives of their own choosing to negotiate on the employees behalf. If we change this critical protection in the law, then democracy fails. Employers understand this very well. It is no accident that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers support this bill. If these business representatives--who were not chosen by the employees--were interested in employee participation, as they claim, then let them prove it by supporting union organizing efforts by unions of the employees choice. Democracy succeeds when the rights of workers are respected--not eliminated. I urge my colleagues to defeat this dangerous bill.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, last week, by voting to terminate the Legal Services Corporation, Republicans committed one of the most shameful attacks on the working poor that I have ever witnessed. In my own community, Brooklyn Legal Services is there day after day, whether it is intervening to save an elderly woman from eviction or helping tenants receive fair treatment from their landlord. Legal Services is there fighting for their forgotten people. Mr. Speaker, the Constitution says that we are all entitled to equal protection under the law, but in today's society, some of us are ore equal than others. In this country, if you have the money to hire a good lawyer, you can make your way through our legal system. But if you are poor, you will lose regardless of whether you are right or wrong. Nothing should come at the price of denying individuals their constitutional rights. I urge my colleagues to support the Legal Services Corporation. Let us show the American people there are still Members in this House willing to fight for those in need of a helping hand. Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to express my outrage over last week's move by House Republicans to terminate the Legal Services Corporation. These actions represent a shameful attack on the poor of this country. Mr. Speaker, many of my colleagues will argue that we cannot afford programs like the Legal Services Corporation in this time of fiscal constraint. But I challenge them, and I ask, ``How can we not?'' Let me tell you about a life that the Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation saved. An 86-year-old latino woman--one of my community's abuelitas--who was to be evicted from her home. It seems the landlord wanted this elderly woman's apartment for his own use, and decided to solve the problem by throwing her out on the street. What he did not tell her, and what she did not know, was that under the law senior citizens are protected from such evictions. The landlord was maliciously tricking this woman into--literally--signing away her right to this apartment. Then, Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation stepped in. They assessed the woman of her rights, and halted an injustice that would have condemned her to a certain death on the streets. This is not an occasional happening. Recently, a landlord in my district decided that because he was going to sell his apartment building he no longer needed to bother with its maintenance and upkeep, so he left the families living there to fend for themselves. The building deteriorated, and it became a place [[Page H 9367]] unfit to live in--let alone raise a family. Once again, Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation intervened, and worked to get the building updated. Today, these families have a clean and safe building. Mr. Speaker, the Constitution says we are all entitled to equal protection under the law, but in today's society some of us seem to be more equal than others. You see, in this country if you have the money to hire a good lawyer, you can make your way through our legal system. If you are poor, new to this country, or don't understand the legal system, however, you will lose regardless of whether you are right or wrong. That's why the efforts of the Legal Services Corporation are so important. They are in over 900 communities, working to make sure that those who need help have a fighting chance. I urge my colleagues to support the efforts of the LSC. Let us show the American people that there are still Members in Congress willing to fight for those in need of a helping hand.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania, the chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. I yield to the gentlewoman from New York.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Shuster] for his commitment to this important issue, and, before I yield to my colleague, the gentlewoman from New York [Ms. Molinari], a fellow New Yorker who has been instrumental on this matter, I would like to also thank the gentleman from New York [Mr. Towns] for his support and attention to this matter and the leadership that the gentleman from California [Mr. Mineta] has provided in addressing this problem. I say to the gentleman, ``Mr. Mineta, we are all going to miss you.''

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman from New York [Ms. Molinari] for her remarks, and I look forward to our continued working together on this issue, and I also want to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Shuster] for his support.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word for the purpose of entering into a colloquy with the chairman of the Transportation Committee on the Gowanus Expressway rehabilitation project. Mr. Chairman, as you know, because of the long period of 7 to 10 years that it is estimated it will take to complete, and the devastating effect that this project will have on the surrounding communities--including an estimated loss of $200 million to the local economy, as well as increased pollution and safety problems--the issue of the Gowanus Expressway rehabilitation project is of great concern to me and many of my constituents. The plan that the State has put forth on this matter falls far short of adequately addressing some very important issues. This has led to a bipartisan effort that has brought together community leaders, at all levels, in the hope of finding a sensible solution to this problem. The rehabilitation of this highway will cost approximately $1 billion. That works out to nearly $300 million per mile, making this the costliest transportation project in New York State. Mr. Chairman, this single project will have an adverse effect on the quality of life of 300,000 New Yorkers--more than any other transportation project. Other area highway projects, which affect far fewer New Yorkers, and cost far less money, have been subject to greater study. In this case, however, the State has done little in the way of examining measures that can reduce the harmful effects on the community or the options available to better address the transportation woes. In the event that we are unable to resolve the problems which I have briefly outlined, it is my hope that as the House goes to conference on this bill, the chairman will be willing to leave the record open on this issue, so that it may be addressed in the final bill--either through a major investment study or through some other solution.

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. (Ms. VELAZQUEZ asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. VELAZQUEZ

Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chairman, I rise to strongly oppose H.R. 927. At this time in our history, when we take such pride in declaring the end of the cold war, we should be moving toward demilitarization, breaking down cultural, economic and social barriers, and extending a peaceful hand to our neighbors worldwide. Instead, with this bill, we are choosing to escalate economic war on a small country that poses absolutely no threat to our country. The United States cut off trade and travel between the United States and Cuba in 1960, in retaliation against Fidel Castro and his Cuban revolution. Thirty-five years later, it is clear that the embargo has failed. H.R. 927 now calls for even tighter restrictions. But let us take a closer look at the facts. At the same time we are moving to establish diplomatic relations and open new markets with Vietnam, this bill will further restrict United States companies and loan institutions from trading freely with other countries and foreign companies. It will violate GATT and NAFTA by denying visas to people doing business with Cuba. And it will cost the taxpayers millions of dollars by committing our Federal court system to thousands of additional claims for expropriated Cuban-owned property. The only tangible result of the embargo has been the resentment of average Cuban citizens. Rather than discrediting Castro, Uncle Sam has gotten the blame for the island's hardships. It is time to end the embargo, and bring this cruel legacy of the cold war to an end. I urge my colleagues to vote against this bill.